Lonnie Donegan - King of Skiffle Quiz

Answer: Chris Barber

Chris Barber asked Lonnie Donegan to audition for the band in the mistaken belief that he was a good banjo player. In fact he had never played the banjo, but he bought one and played it at the audition. Despite his lack of skill he was invited to join the band, and as part of Ken Collyers Jazzmen played in their Dixieland Jazz set. With two other musicians, one playing a washboard and one a tea-chest bass he also played an interval "skiffle break".

Answer: The Quarrymen

Lonnie Donegan's first album "Lonnie Donegan Showcase" was so popular it spawned hundreds of amateur skiffle groups. Because the equipment needed was simple, washboard, tea-chest bass and guitar, these were cheap and easy to set up. In March 1957 John Lennon formed "The Quarrymen" skiffle group, and in July of the same year met Paul McCartney. The rest, as they say, is history.

Answer: I'll Never Fall In Love Again

In the 1960s skiffle had been pushed to one side by coming of The Beatles and other Liverpool groups. Lonnie Donegan did very little performing or recording during this period, concentrating instead on record production and song writing. His main hit as a song writer was the Tom Jones song "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", a big ballad that reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Answer: Rock Island Line

"Rock Island Line" was originally a Leadbelly recording. Lonnie Donegan took it up tempo. Although he received few royalties from it as it was a band recording, he received publishing rights payments for it as it was an unregistered song in the UK, and he was able to claim the British copyright rights.

This meant that any cover version released in the UK after 1956 showed Lonnie Donegan as the composer.

Answer: Pye

From 1962 through the rest of the 1960s and into the 1970s Lonnie Donegan recorded only occasionally, although there were some Nashville sessions with Floyd Cramer and The Jordanaires. In 1964 he joined Pye as a record producer, and worked there through the rest of the decade. Amongst the artists he produced was Justin Hayward.

Answer: Cy Coben and Mel Foree

The soulful "Nobody's Child" was originally recorded by Hank Snow in 1949. The Beatles made a recording of it when they were playing in Hamburg in the early 1960s, and George Harrison also played on a later recording, when the Traveling Wilburys recorded it in 1990. Lonnie Donegan recorded it as an album track on "Lonnie Donegan Showcase" in 1956, but regularly featured it in his live performances.

Answer: Mr Cinders

"Mr Cinders" was a 1920s musical based on the "Cinderella" theme, but with the roles reversed. "Prince Charming" is a successful woman and "Mr Cinders" a servant. The show was revived at the Fortune Theatre in 1983 with Dennis Lawson in the title role.

When he left Lonnie Donegan took over, and he was succeeded by Lionel Blair. The show was not a great success and folded after 527 performances.

Answer: George Harrison

Lonnie Donegan died of a heart attack in 2002 aged 71. He was mid-way through a UK tour at the time, and was due to perform in a memorial concert to George Harrison with The Rolling Stones. He had suffered from heart problems for many years and had quadruple by-pass surgery in the 1970s. Mark Knopfler paid tribute to him, releasing a tribute song "Donegan's Gone" on his album "Shangri La".

Answer: Wabash Cannonball

"Wabash Cannonball" is a very old American folk-song. It appears in sheet music form as far back as 1882. The Carter Family recorded it in 1929, and there is also a 1936 Roy Acuff recording. It has been adopted as a theme song by many university marching bands, including University of Texas Longhorn Band and Kansas State University Marching Band.

Answer: Van Morrison

This album led to something of a renaissance for Lonnie Donegan. It received much critical acclaim, and led to a UK tour in 2000, followed by the 2002 tour which ended with his untimely death. The album also featured guest appearances by Chris Barber and Dr John. He had recorded with Elton John, Ringo Star and Brian May on an earlier, 1978, album "Putting On The Style".